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Power surge nets Hamilton AL Player of Week

Power surge nets Hamilton AL Player of Week

5/12/12: Josh Hamilton enjoys quite a week, leading the Rangers' offense with nine home runs

By Joey Nowak
/
MLB.com |

After a historic week, Major League Baseball recognized Josh Hamilton with his second career American League Player of the Week honor.

The Rangers outfielder turned in one of the best seven-day stretches in baseball history, highlighted by a 5-for-5 performance on Tuesday, becoming just the 16th player in baseball history to record a four-homer game.

Along the way, he tallied an AL-record 18 total bases and eight RBIs in the Rangers' 10-3 win at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. It was the most total bases by an individual in one game since Shawn Green had 19 for the Dodgers on May 23, 2002, against the Brewers.

Hamilton kept pouring it on later in the week, hitting two more homers on Friday night as part of a 3-for-4 game in a 10-3 win against the Angels. He then homered for the third consecutive game on Saturday, becoming just the third player in baseball history to collect nine homers and 15 RBIs over a six-game stretch (Green in 2002 and Frank Howard in 1968).

The 2010 AL MVP finished the week with a .467 batting average (14-for-30), two doubles, nine homers, 18 RBIs and 10 runs scored in seven games. He led the Majors in homers, RBIs, slugging percentage (1.433) and total bases (43), and was tied for first in runs and hits over that stretch.

Entering Monday's action, Hamilton led all of baseball with a .402 batting average, 18 homers and 44 RBIs. On Monday, it was announced that the bat he used to hit eight of his nine homers last week will be displayed at the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

‪Joey Nowak is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at @joeynowak.‬ This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.